Found a baby lizard on the outside of our kitchen window screen. First reaction is to always get the camera and invade its privacy. It didn’t seem to mind, though. Matter of fact, I think it enjoyed the notion of it ending up on the Internet to be gawked at by hordes of at least three other people, as opposed to the thousands of other fauna in our backyard that never will. It, like me with my padded, fall-down helmet, is special.

Gathered a bunch of Milkweed seeds so we can grow our own plants to attract Monarch butterflies instead of buying any new ones. Excellent harvest this year. Should make a fine and robust vintage.

Milkweed: choice of the Monarch

Recently opened seed pod

Seeds positioning for escape

Waiting for a stiff breeze to scatter

A flight risk

My harvest of denuded seeds

Was lucky enough to capture a very healthy Monarch Butterfly emerging from its chrysalis. Forgive the poor cell phone video quality.

While spending the night in the Tapias’ backyard studio, I was shocked awake by what turned out to be two very unhappy raccoons fighting next to and in the Tapias’ pool. There was so much vicious screeching and splashing that when I first awoke I had no idea what was going on. It didn’t last very long and they both walked away in different directions leaving wet paw prints behind.

Here is a sample of just one distressed raccoon. Imagine two of these, in the dead of night, right outside an open window you might be sleeping under.

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